PTA member artfully counters cuts

Tala Liqyanah was so worried about missing Art Night at her school this month that the 6-year-old went to the principal in "crisis mode," fearful her mom would forget the event.

The worries were all but forgotten that evening as Tala stood at a table in the Columbus Manor Elementary School gym with other kids painting with tempera, using impressionist reproductions as their models. Afterward, they could choose between making a mosaic from scraps of colored paper or painting with dots in the pointillist style, each project at a separate booth.

Tala's mother and several dozen other parents weren't likely to forget about the monthly night class at the Oak Lawn school. She and the other parents are big supporters of the program -- conceived and launched in September by a mother who was alarmed when Ridgeland School District 122 cut art, music and band programs for budgetary reasons.

That PTA mom, Amy Moore, who has a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Columbia College, said she was pained to see her daughter Abigail, 6, and classmates lose out on art at school. So Moore, with the support of PTA President Merrit Arnold and Principal Sandy Robertson, decided to teach the class herself.

Illinois may not consider the arts mandatory, but it should, she said.

"It opens up their minds and exposes them to another avenue of learning," Moore said as she scurried around the gym, supervising Art Night last week.

Robertson agreed, marveling at the professionalism that went into the planning and execution of the program.

Interspersed with the booths, which were laid out with paints, brushes and paper, were poster boards with information about artists and public art events around the community. Each month, Moore chooses a different theme or art movement and three hands-on projects.

"It shows the resolve of people that financial constraints aren't going to stop us from getting things done that are right for the kids," Robertson said.

It might have been just another service requirement fulfilled for eight student volunteers from Oak Lawn Community High School, but they, too, seemed to delight in the importance of bringing art back to the children.

"Art is really lacking now [in schools and society]," said Barb Zubek, 18, a senior.

While the children were engrossed in their artwork, many of the parents talked about how they hoped voters in District 122 would endorse a school-tax referendum on Tuesday's ballot.

A similar measure failed last year, forcing the district to not only cut elective art and music programs, but to increase some class sizes to 40 from 22 students. The district fired nine teachers and increased registration fees.

The deficit was close to $2 million a few years ago. Cuts have helped improve finances, but it is still about $650,000, Supt. Tom Smyth said.

The referendum is seeking a 70-cent tax increase per $100 of equalized assessed valuation, bringing the rate to $3.08. That would mean the owner of a home with a $200,000 market value would pay roughly $345 more a year in property taxes.

Should the referendum plan fail, Smyth said the district might have to close one of its schools, possibly Columbus Manor, and move to grade-level centers. If it passes, programs could be reinstated.

"I think it has a lot to do with being in a tax-cap county. When you've got contractual obligations to teachers, special-education costs, transportation, expenses go up a lot higher than the 2.5 [percent] tax cap," said Smyth, who also attended Art Night.

"We're going to be staying off the state financial watch list, but what kind of quality of education do you have?" he asked.